Not sure if this is what you you're referring to, but the fundamentals are referred to as "kiso" ( 基礎 ), and on top of that are built the "kihon" ( 基本 ) of which an example might be irimi and tenkan movements. So learning the kiso is vital but people don't openly teach that. Abe Seiseki sensei often mentions that people don't study kiso enough - I think he means that in doing kihon and kihon waza one should be studying the kiso that underlie it, not to mention doing special training to develop those kiso.

Regards, Gernot

Thanks Gernot... YES, 基礎 = foundation, base or basis of the fundamentals 基本. That's precisely what we're talking about. But I see Mike has already beat me to it...